AMMUNITION FOR VON SPEE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 208, 11 February 1915, Page 2

AMMUNITION FOR VON SPEE.

"CONDENSED MILK" SHIPPED UNDER A NEUTRAL FLAG. GERMAN WILINESS. Condensed milk is the solution of one of the riddles of the supply of the German commerce raiders in the Pacific and South Atlantic. Germany's preparations for the war were made so far in advance that at the beginning'of June she was able to send instructions to ships on outlying stations exactly how to act in the event of war breaking out. These instructions included full particulars of the arrangements for provisioning and coaling in the event of the German bases in her colonies being seined. Included among the ships which received such instructions were a certain number of German merchantmen, and also trading ships that nominally belonged to other countries and Hew the flags of nations that were not likely to be engaged in the war. The part that condensed milk played in the drama was this. The ships were ordered to call at various ports in the Atlantic and Pacific and there ship for re-export cases of condensed milk bearing the brand of a German Arm established in very recent years. During the early months of last year tine German export of this brand increased considerably, and the cases were stored "until called for." It is an interesting point, too, that the amount of condensed milk from Germany that passed through British ports for re-export at the beginning of this year showed a marked decrease.

FORCED INTO PORT. One steamer which took on board largo quantities of tins commodity at a West Indian port in September was a Hamburg-American liner. An indiscretion of tin; wireless operator, wlio sent out a taunting message to a French cruiser that was on their track, led to the detection of the liner, and she was forced to run into a neutral port for safety. The authorities there suspected her cargo. Tt was examined, and the 10,000 cases of condensed milk that she had on hoard were found to be, really cases of ammunition for 4.1-inch guns. It "will be remembered that the Chilian Government recently informed the British Government that two German steamers of the Kosmos Line had left the Chilian ports of Punta Arenas and Coronet surreptitiously!. The Chilian Government subsequently made a most scrupulous examination of all suspected sources. The resxilt will no doubt be made public in due courße. In the meantime large stores of "condensed milk" will be left on the hands of the guileless agents who found such a great demand for the new brand growing up last spring.